Agreed, it’s laughable. However, it’s in one of the richest zip codes in the world.
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Silverado is great since there are 2 courses but it’s a non-equity membership. So your initiation fee is gone the second you joined. I looked into it before joining another club and I think the Jr Membership was $9k and $600/mo till your like 45. I found the price list, DM if you’re interested.
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Question for the NorCal folks, a few buddies and I are driving to Bandon at the end of April from San Diego. We’re making a few stops along the way and we’re looking to play 1 round in the Bay Area/Northern California. Pasa is punching the day we’re driving through and due to some budget/time constraints Pebble is not an option.
Given the circumstances, what would be your can’t miss course for us? We’re leaning Northwood, I’ll hang up and listen, thanks!
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Oh baby…you can’t miss with Northwood, it’s ELITE VIBES. If you do that, you could do a lot worse than first playing the 18 at Bodega Bay, then 9 at Northwood. Not sure if you have the time for that but it’s an epic pairing.
Higher budget choices:
- Half Moon Bay - Ocean course
- Harding Park - not my favorite but many folks want to cross it off their list
- Corica Park in Alameda - home of the NorCal Roost “Chunks at the Chuck” tournament
Cheaper options would be:
- Pacific Grove in Monterey
- Northwood
- Bodega
The reality is that it depends on your route. Some of these are nowhere close to the route up to Bandon. I personally don’t love driving six hours and then playing a round of golf. So it depends where you’re coming from, and where you’re racking out that night, too.
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This was my thought reading it as well. If you’re on the coastal route, I think @greebs gave a lot of great options. If you’re on more of the central valley route, I’ll throw a curveball and let the current locals chime in. I lived in Davis for 4 years and frequented the Cache Creek casino in Brooks on several occasions. I saw the Yocha Dehe course being built, but it didn’t open until after I’d moved away. Certainly different (resorty) vibes compared to Bodega or Northwood, but still a gorgeous looking and well ranked course. Perhaps a stay-n-play before the final push into Bandon?
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Yocha Dehe absolutely SLAPS. And yeah, you’d be staying at a casino if that has appeal. Brooks itself has almost nothing to do so it would be a stay-and-play. It’s a super fun course.
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Route honestly doesn’t matter to us. All young guys and willing to go out of the way for the best option since we’ll likely not be returning to the area as a group.
Glad to hear the confirmation on Northwood, we were debating between that and Pacific Grove. Not that Pacific Grove looked bad, but it didn’t seem special outside of the back 9. And as spoiled San Diegans/Bandon in the days to come, the ocean didn’t quite have that draw like the redwoods did.
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You should really consider Bodega as well if that’s the case. Northwood is iconic, beautiful, serene, and a must play/cult following/pilgrimage/right-of-passage-type course but Bodega… the Bodega course is just downright FUN.
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This may have cemented Northwood even more for me lol
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Pacific Grove is the best course on earth with budget in mind IMO.
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Bodega/Northwood is a hell of a combination. Plus, once you’re out here, it is faster to get to Bandon by heading up 101, which is a much more interesting/beautiful drive than i5, in my opinion.
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My 2 cents: listen to whatever @greebs says! He knows best (mainly because we seem to be in agreeance about all of this stuff)
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If you can squeeze 9 holes at Corica north in alameda I would highly recommend it. It is absolutely 
right now. Firm and fast. Total blast to play. Not too busy, not long - so you can get around quickly. It’s what TC called a mix of the old course and sweetens on the pod this past week.
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If you do Northwood, Windsor is just 15 minutes away. I think it’s highly under rated. Awesome practice facility and it’s right off hwy 101 heading north from Northwood. It’s also like $32 to walk. There is a “hidden” Mckenzie in Healdsburg that most the members insist that he helped design, it’s just a 9 hole track and it’s a few minutes off the hwy heading north as well, not exactly a must see but there is decent food in that town and it’s basically the last place you will want to eat until Arcata if they are taking 101.
Edit: Corica is awesome and is on the way to Northwood. Imo it’s a must see, it’s my new favorite place in the bay area.
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Narrator: Greebs most assuredly does not know best.
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Bodega is pretty cool and you can see the ocean from every hole but you also see a ton of glass lining every fareway (it weaves through a neighborhood). There are only 3 holes that are actually in close proximity to the ocean. It will definitely add a good amount of time to come up the 1 from the city and is about 30 minutes past Northwood west coming from 101. From there you have to backtrack to get back to 101. Depending on the time limit of the trip it may be a stretch. That said, @3jackbirdie @searanch and I recently did it and it was an amazing day (we also did sea ranch the next day).
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Good call on Windsor. Played there one month into Covid with @PatPlaysGolf and his merry band. I remember the nines being pretty distinctly different. But also that I reallllly had a fun time out there.
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Windsor is more fun than Bodega, especially if your are about to spend a few days on the ocean at Bandon (/ducks)
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This is the feedback I needed. Harsh, no holding back takes.
Seems like Corica is getting some major love though. Looked it up and there’s two courses…is the full 18 south the move? or the 9 hole north? Plan is to leave SD late Friday night, stay at a buddy’s in Santa Barbara and hit the road to the Bay Area early Sat AM. Thinking the north 9 and Northwood might be a very very tough combo to beat.
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